Expert view

On Solar Citizens radar is urging the Australian federal and state/territory governments to commit to policies that double rooftop solar by 2035 backed by storage, which includes a federal solar for renters policy and state based minimum energy efficiency standards. Also on our radar are policies to enable the upscaling of solar and storage on commercial and industrial buildings, to enable Urban Renewable Energy Zones.

We will seek improvements in national standards and consumer protections for Virtual Power Plants to encourage more battery owners to join VPPs so that the huge uptake of home batteries can be better coordinated to firm the electricity grid.

We'll be keeping watch on the uptake of home solar batteries via the Clean Energy Regulator Small Scale Renewable Energy Scheme postcode data for rooftop solar and batteries as well as national construction code updates — to include clean energy mandates for new builds.

In 2026, we expect to see a global alliance of industry and civil society organisations pushing rooftop solar and storage to be a key agenda item for COP31 and beyond, and business case modelling for consumer and council co-benefits for Urban Renewable Energy Zones.

Heidi Douglas CEO, Solar Citizens

Expert view

Given our work in rural and regional communities where large scale renewables and transmission are being proposed or built, we’ll be keeping an eye on policy moves that help to build trust for the energy shift in those communities.

One of the biggest things that federal and state governments should be listening to in 2026 is the growing call from regional communities for Local Energy Hubs.

With the release of the NEM review we’ll be closely examining recommendations specific to ‘social licence’ and others that have the potential to benefit regional communities.

We’ll continue our formal engagement in the Developer Rating Scheme and seek to ensure it provides clear and easily accessible information. It’s imperative to get the Scheme operating quickly, but delivering the right results for communities.

We expect there will be more focus on regional planning in 2026, so we’ll be articulating to all levels of government what good regional planning looks like, including ensuring that local governments are resourced appropriately to engage in this work.

And we’ll be working to ensure that communities have access to clear and accurate information on the shift to renewables in the lead up to the Victorian election.

Andrew Bray National Director, RE-Alliance

Expert view

In 2026 I believe we will start to see a pivot towards an 'energy as a service' market. However, to achieve this we will need to see enhancements to the current regulatory framework, which has retailer obligations focusing on billing for kilowatt-hours and megajoules and protection that support consumers manage these debts and future consumption (ensuring disconnection as a last resort) to one that is focused a consumer duty or a duty of care when providing or offering energy services.

Not only will some households prefer the simplicity — or complexity — of energy as a service, but also these offerings have the potential to support the changing nature of generation within the energy system providing consumer flexibility and ultimately lower costs for all and a faster transition.

I will be looking for two things in 2026. Firstly more product innovation and new service offerings; and at the same time continuing to track the traditional energy market to make sure that one group of consumers is not being left behind or doing all the heavy lifting at the expense of another as the market changes and we electrify everything.

I believe these service offerings will be in two broader categories: front- and behind-the-meter. Front-of-the-meter services are ones that are engaging in the broad energy system. Current players like Amber and others have services in this space. I expect to see more of those, but I also expect to see more purely behind-the-meter service offerings as the Internet of everything meets smart appliances and smart phones and AI. These sorts of service offerings will give people more amenity when they need it in their homes. We may also see a blend of the two.

Gavin Dufty National Director Energy Policy and Research, St Vincent de Paul Society Australia

Expert view

We need 2026 to be the year of the energy consumer, and we must make real progress on reducing the divide between the energy have lots – those consumers paying low bills with solar, batteries, and EVs – and the have nots.

With decisions on electrifying homes and cars, and adopting new technologies central to reducing emissions, we need a major policy shift to determine how we best support all consumers and make sure they all benefit from the transition. Renters, in particular, are systematically left out of the benefits of the transition, and, relatedly, are the most likely cohort in any income bracket to be vulnerable to, or experiencing energy hardship.

The Better Energy Customer Experience reform provides an opportunity to progress a new regulatory framework ensuring that retailers, rather than consumers, have the responsibility of ensuring good consumer outcomes for all. The AEMC’s pricing review can help network tariffs more fairly share costs among consumers. And the NEM review and Reliability Panel can focus not just on what investment is needed, but how to ensure consumers get the energy they need at the lowest cost.

We’re also hopeful of major reforms to some of digital tools – like Energy Made Easy – to simplify the transition for consumers and make it easier for everyone to participate.

Brian Spak General Manager, Advocacy and Policy at Energy Consumers Australia

Expert view

If I could wave my magic energy wand and create a policy (package) that would fix the energy transition it would be this: A pact between all levels of government to remove the barriers to transmission — create an evolving package of policies and associated decisions that would move the 10,000km or so of transmission we need from the endless Integrated System Plans to reality.

We have no shortage of investors wanting to pay for the infrastructure that is the energy network of the future. But, without the power lines, all the solar panels and wind turbines in the world are just metal and glass, not electricity for families and industry. All the hydro projects are just pretty lakes and deep holes, not storage.

Yes, we should have done it sooner. Yes, we should have taken the community with us better. But, we have to do it now or the lights on our economy are going out. We can talk about extending coal-fired power stations all we want — they are shutting themselves down slowly. We can talk about gas, but we haven’t got ourselves in the global queue for the turbines. Renewable energy is the only, as well as the cheapest and the right, answer. And for that we need transmission. We have the investors in the generation, the storage, and the transmission. Now we need to unblock the planning and approvals processes, including the community consultation and compensation, and DO IT ALL NOW.

Stephanie Bashir CEO, Nexa Advisory